Framing for a window of a motor vehicle passenger compartment, and a motor vehicle door including such framing

ABSTRACT

The invention related to framing ( 8 ) for the window of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the framing having a support face between an inside edge ( 8   a ) and an outside edge ( 8   b ) of the framing and designed to be covered by the periphery of a window ( 6 ) connected in sealed manner to said outside edge. On its window-supporting face, the framing has an arrangement ( 15 ) for receiving a light source ( 12 ).

[0001] The present invention relates to framing for a window of thepassenger compartment of a motor vehicle, and to a motor vehicle doorincluding such framing.

[0002] It is known to make the rear lights of motor vehicles, and inparticular the stop lights, by integrating them in air deflectors, alsoknown as spoilers, which are placed to extend the roof or the trunk.

[0003] These deflectors then simultaneously constitute housings for thelights, which means there is no need to provide separate housings forthe lights.

[0004] One of the difficulties that arises with such pieces that performboth the function of a deflector and the function of a housing forlights, is that they must be watertight, which considerably increasescost.

[0005] Thus, the saving achieved by integrating the lights in thedeflector is lost in part by the increase in cost for a deflector thatis sealed.

[0006] The present invention seeks to propose a solution for integratinglights in a motor vehicle in a manner that does not require any increasein cost for the member that receives the lights.

[0007] The present invention provides framing for a window of a motorvehicle passenger compartment, the framing including a support facebetween an inside edge and an outside edge of the framing for beingcovered by the periphery of a window that is connected in sealed mannerto said outside edge.

[0008] According to the invention, the framing is characterized in thatit includes an arrangement on its window-supporting face for receiving alight source.

[0009] The invention of the present application takes advantage from theexistence of the window of the passenger compartment and of its framingto form a light unit whose housing is constituted by the framing andwhose glazing is constituted by the window.

[0010] Compared with prior techniques consisting in using an airdeflector, the invention presents the advantage that the housingconstituted by the framing is, by its very nature, a housing that issealed from the outside of the vehicle.

[0011] In a particular embodiment, the framing is provided with areinforced structure for stiffening it.

[0012] The passenger compartment window framing of the invention can becarried by a vehicle door, in particular a rear door or tailgate, whichpresents the advantage of providing a visible surface area near the topof the vehicle, i.e. in the most appropriate location for receiving stoplights or direction indicators.

[0013] In a particular embodiment, the framing includes a housing thatis open both towards the outside of the vehicle, i.e. towards the windowside, and towards the inside of the vehicle, this housing being arrangedto receive the light source in such a manner as to enable it to emitlight out from the housing both towards the outside and towards theinside of the vehicle.

[0014] In a preferred variant, the housing is closed, towards the insideof the vehicle, by a wall that is translucent or transparent, andpossibly provided with a filter, so as to diffuse the light emitted bythe light source towards the inside of the vehicle.

[0015] This wall allows light to pass from the light source housed inthe framing so that the light source can emit light towards the outsideof the vehicle through the passenger compartment window, and towards theinside of the vehicle through said wall.

[0016] In a particular embodiment, the housing contains a movingreflector capable of taking up a first position in which it sends lightrays emitted by the light source towards the outside of the vehiclethrough the window, and a second position in which it sends the lightrays towards the inside of the passenger compartment.

[0017] Framing provided with such a moving reflector can be used, forexample, on a tailgate so as to act both as a rear light unit when thetailgate is in the closed position, and to illuminate the trunk of thevehicle when the tailgate is in the open position, with the movingreflector being moved between its two positions by opening and closingthe tailgate.

[0018] The invention also provides a motor vehicle door, in particular atailgate, characterized in that it includes framing as described above.

[0019] In order to make the invention easier to understand, embodimentsare described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tailgate of a motor vehicle;

[0021]FIG. 2 is a close-up view of one of the uprights of the FIG. 1vehicle tailgate;

[0022]FIG. 3 is a close-up view of a tailgate upright in a differentembodiment of the invention;

[0023]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section view on IV-IV through the uprightof FIG. 3;

[0024]FIG. 5 is a view looking along V at the FIG. 3 upright;

[0025]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section view analogous to FIG. 4 showing atailgate upright in another embodiment; and

[0026]FIG. 7 is a view analogous to FIG. 6 showing the upright inanother position.

[0027] The tailgate 1 of a vehicle as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a topportion 2 extending the vehicle roof (not shown), a vertical glazedportion 3, a substantially horizontal intermediate portion 4 coveringthe rear trunk of the vehicle, and a substantially vertical end portion5 starting the body shell waistline at the back of the vehicle.

[0028] The glazed portion 3 is constituted by a window 6 having a blackmargin 7 made by silkscreen printing to hide the framing structure ofthe tailgate.

[0029] This structure is constituted by uprights 8, one of which isvisible in FIG. 2.

[0030] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, each upright 8 is constituted by astructural part forming a box fitted with an internal array of ribs 9.The box has an inside edge 8 a and an outside edge 8 b.

[0031] The box extends longitudinally and is of U shaped cross section.It has two side plates 10 whereby it is stuck to the window, thusserving simultaneously to hold the window and to seal the box relativeto the outside of the vehicle, with this being performed in particularby the side plate 10 adjacent to the outside edge 8 b. These twosoleplates coincide with the support face of the box that receives thewindow 6.

[0032] A longitudinal support plate 11 made of plastics materialsupports light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 12. The plate 11 is designed to bereceived in the box so as to position the LEDs therein.

[0033] For this purpose, the plate has fasteners in the form of pins 13suitable for insertion into orifices 14 provided for this purpose in thebox on its side facing towards the window.

[0034] The internal array of ribs has cutouts 15 for receiving thesupport plate 11.

[0035] The silkscreen printing 7 around the window defines a transparentstrip on either side of the window in register with the LEDs carried bythe support plate.

[0036] Given the long lifetime that LEDs are assumed to have, no meansare provided in this embodiment for replacing them, since the lifetimeof the tailgate (and thus of the vehicle) is assumed to be shorter thanthat of the LEDs.

[0037] In the embodiment of FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the upright 8′ of thetailgate presents a ribbed structure outside the zones for receiving thelight sources 12 that is identical to the structure in the uprightdescribed above, having an inside edge 8′a and an outside edge 8′b.

[0038] In contrast, in the portions that are designed to receive thelight sources, the upright has a housing 17 that is accessible frominside the vehicle. This housing is substantially in the form of arectangular parallelepiped, having a far wall 18 provided with openings19 positioned to coincide with the LEDs 12 carried by a support plate 20in the form of a cover suitable for closing the housing.

[0039] The support plate 20 has resilient lugs or clips 21 forsnap-fastening it in the housing. These lugs carry electricallyconductive tracks 22 serving as electrical connectors for feedingelectricity to the LEDs by coupling with a conductive base member 23provided in the housing.

[0040] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the array of ribs in the upright isinterrupted at the location of the housing for receiving the LEDs.

[0041] The advantage of this embodiment lies in the possibility ofremoving the LEDs easily, which can be useful in spite of the assumedlong lifetime of LEDs, e.g. for the purpose of changing the power ofthese light sources or their colors.

[0042] As can be seen in FIG. 5, when the cover is properly positionedin the housing, the LEDs are flush with the face of the upright that isdirected towards the window and thus in the immediate proximity of thewindow.

[0043] The face 23 of the upright surrounding the diodes can then beseen through the window and its appearance can be improved, e.g. byovermolding a decorative film while making the upright.

[0044] In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, the upright 25 is of across-section similar to that of the upright shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0045] However, in this embodiment, the LEDs 26 are mounted on one ofthe side walls 27 of the housing 28 that is designed to receive thelight sources.

[0046] The housing is closed by inside glazing 31 constituting a wallthat is transparent or translucent. This inside glazing can include afilter for white light so as to diffuse white light towards the insideof the passenger compartment, even if the LEDs emit red light.

[0047] By means of the inside glazing 31 and also of openings 30provided in the far wall of the housing, the light emitted by the LEDs26 can leave the housing both towards the inside and towards the outsideof the vehicle.

[0048] A pivoting reflector 32 is placed facing the diodes inside thehousing. This reflector can take up a first position as shown in FIG. 6where it directs the light rays from the LEDs 26 towards the outsidethrough the openings 30 formed in the far wall 29 of the housing, asrepresented by the arrow in this figure.

[0049] The pivoting reflector 32 can also take up a second position asshown in FIG. 7, in which it sends the light rays emitted by the LEDs 26towards the inside glazing 31, i.e. towards the inside of the passengercompartment, as represented by the arrow in this figure.

[0050] The pivoting reflector 32 can be switched between its twopositions by any suitable means, for example by an electrical actuator(not shown).

[0051] Another way of moving the reflector 32 is to make use of its ownweight. For this purpose, it suffices to fix the reflector on a pivotaxis that is offset relative to its center of gravity. Thus, thereflector can take up the position shown in FIG. 6 when the tailgate isclosed in which case the LEDs act as rear lights, and the position shownin FIG. 7 when the tailgate is open, in which case the LEDs serve toilluminate the trunk. The person skilled in the art can readily achievesuch a configuration.

[0052] The embodiments described above are not limiting in any way, andthe invention is defined by the accompanying claims.

[0053] In particular, light sources other than LEDs could be used, ascould other structures for the uprights, providing the framing includesarrangements for receiving a light source.

What is claimed is:
 1. A framing for a window of a motor vehiclepassenger compartment, the framing including a support face between aninside edge and an outside edge of the framing for being covered by theperiphery of the window that is connected in a sealed manner to saidoutside edge, the framing including an arrangement on its windowsupporting face for receiving a light source and including a housingthat is opened both towards the outside of the vehicle, and towards theinside of the vehicle, this housing being arranged to receive the lightsource in such a manner as to enable it to emit light out from thehousing both towards the outside and towards the inside of the vehicle.2. Framing according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing isclosed, towards the inside of the vehicle, by a wall that is translucentor transparent, and possibly provided with a filter, so as to diffusethe light emitted by the light source towards the inside of the vehicle.3. Framing according to claim 1, characterized in that the housingcontains a moving reflector capable of taking up a first position inwhich it sends light rays emitted by the light source towards theoutside of the vehicle through the window, and a second position inwhich it sends the light rays towards the inside of the passengercompartment.
 4. A motor vehicle tailgate, characterized in that itincludes framing according to claim 3, the reflector taking up its firstposition when the tailgate is closed and its second position when thetailgate is open, the moving reflector being moved between its twopositions by opening and closing the tailgate.